Big warehouses threaten Greencastle historic site

Allison Ebbert House, surrounded by an industrial park, is a significant historic and archaeological site near Greencastle, Pennsylvania.
Jim Hook

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Andy Stout, of the Archaeological Conservancy, looks over the area at a spring house on Friday, September 9, 2016 at the historic Allison-Ebbert farm in Greencastle.(Photo11: Markell DeLoatch, Public OpInion)Buy Photo

GREENCASTLE -- Terry Bonnell is worried that a developer’s lawsuit may affect his efforts to preserve an archaeological and historic site in the middle of Antrim Commons Business Park.

Bonnell, of Valencia, California, has been assembling a deal to protect the land since before his father’s death in April. The wooded lot was home to Col. John Allison, the founder of Greencastle. Thousands of Native American artifacts have been unearthed on the surrounding 12 acres.

“We have every single time represented at this site,” said Andrew Stout of the Archaeological Conservancy. “You can tell the whole story of this community from the arrival of human beings to today at one site. If we don’t save this in Greencastle, what are we going to save?”

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The Allison-Ebbert farmhouse is seen Friday, September 9, 2016 at the historic site in Antrim Township.(Photo11: File / Public OpInion)

The lollipop-shaped parcel is surrounded by a 400-acre business park developed by Atapco Properties of Baltimore, Maryland. Atapco has plans for four “big box” distribution warehouses and several smaller buildings.

The industrial site has been slow to develop - despite its location at Exit 3 of Interstate 81 and next to a rail-truck intermodal yard.

Atapco says a $40 million project was at risk because of the Greencastle Area Water Authority’s restrictions on pumping groundwater and blasting in the park. Atapco in August sued the authority in Franklin County Court.

“Any changes in the status of the no-blast zones and conservation area would likely negatively impact the contract I have with the Archaeological Conservancy, possibly putting the preservation of my father's property in jeopardy,” Bonnell said.

Bonnell and the nonprofits Archaeological Conservancy and Allison-Antrim Museum have been working on a $1.4 million project to set up a museum and park with walking paths and information kiosks.

Pat Coggins, who executes development for Atapco, said the lawsuit has been settled. Atapco can proceed with a $40 million deal to sell a significant portion of the park.

“The agreement allows us to develop our property the way we intended to develop it,” Coggins said. The lawsuit and settlement have “no bearing whatsoever on the heritage site.”

The lawsuit had not been withdrawn as of Friday, according to court documents.

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Andy Stout displays ancient items in the barn at Allison-Ebbert house on Sept. 9, 2016 that was discovered during an archaeological dig at the historic farm in Greencastle.(Photo11: File / Public OpInion)

“The heritage site already has a previously negotiated protection zone around it, which is still in effect,” Coggins said. “The lawsuit was related to a much larger (wellhead) protection area that was unilaterally imposed by the GCAWA over a much larger portion of our property, as well as a lot of other properties in the township.”

The settlement changes the authority’s recent restrictions on pumping and blasting to recommendations, according to Coggins. The authority and developer had previously agreed to protections for the water source.

Ebbert’s Spring is at the center of the historic site and the current controversy:

It is a source for the water authority which adopted regulations two years ago to protect it.

The brick spring house beside the 250-year-old Allison-Ebbert house likely served as part of the colonial Allison Fort.

Archaeological evidence indicates the site has been inhabited for thousands of years.

Amateur archaeologists from Cumberland Valley Chapter 27 of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology spent more than a decade digging and cataloging the site, according to Bonnell. Artifacts filled 80 boxes.

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Andy Stout displays an ancient pipe on Friday, September 9, 2016 that was discovered during an archaeological dig at the historic Allison-Ebbert farm in Greencastle.(Photo11: Markell DeLoatch, Public OpInion)

The surprise find was a tiny Clovis spear point discovered just nine inches underground. It dates from the Paleo-Indian period (about 10,000 to 8000 B.C.) just after the last ice age when humans first ventured into the Americas - which puts it at about 10,000 years old. Needless to say, Pennsylvania was sparsely populated at the time so the artifact is rare.

“There are a few thousand years in a few feet of soil,” Stout said.

Stout said he was unaware of the significance of the property as he was growing up in Greencastle. Currently the eastern region director for the Archaeological Conservancy, he is now trying to preserve its story.

“We can make this work as a sister site to Tayamentasachta,” Stout said. Tayamentasachta Environmental Center, owned by the Greencastle-Antrim School District, is located a couple of miles away on another spring.

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A collection of arrow heads and tools are seen on Friday, September 9, 2016 that were discovered during an archaeological dig at the historic Allison-Ebbert farm in Greencastle.(Photo11: Markell DeLoatch, Public OpInion)

The stone house, the Allison-Ebbert House, is more than 250 years old. Landowner William Allison Sr. in 1755 met at Edward Shippen's house in Shippensburg to discuss building five forts in the county as a protection against Indians. Allison Fort was built soon afterwards. William Allison Sr.’s son, Col. John Allison, founded Greencastle in 1782.

The stone house was the first house in the area to have "fire" or double walls. The walls are three feet thick.

“It's probably the most important structure in the general area despite being in an industrial complex,” Bonnell said.

Bonnell, the lone child of Alfred Bonnell Jr., agreed to sell his father's five acres at a discount to the Archaeological Conservancy. The Allison-Antrim Museum would have the responsibility of maintaining the property. One of the objectives is to leave any archaeological resources undisturbed and protected.

Atapco has donated three-and-a-half acres to the conservancy and is negotiating to give another four acres.

“It had always been my dad’s hope to protect the property in perpetuity for the community,” Bonnell said. “We took this route because it was the only way to preserve my dad’s property.”

Jim Hook, 717-262-4759

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Andy Stout displays an ancient bowl on Friday, September 9, 2016 that was discovered during an archaeological dig at the historic Allison-Ebbert farm in Greencastle.(Photo11: Markell DeLoatch, Public OpInion)